Ahead of her Beijing exploits, 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff has announced she’s added another component to her coaching team as the 20-year-old eyes an early pre-season of sorts between now and the season’s official end in November after splitting from Brad Gilbert this month — Matt Daly will accompany the American’s longtime coach Jean-Christophe Faurel.
Gauff using Asian swing as pre-season preparations
IT felt inevitable yet sad, news of Coco Gauff’s split from coach Brad Gilbert in the aftermath of her unsettling US Open fourth-round collapse against compatriot Emma Navarro filtered through at a time where the coaching carousel – especially in the women’s game – has intensified to finish 2024. Major titlists Elena Rybakina and Naomi Osaka are just two examples of big-name players experiencing change now.
Gauff’s inconsistent results at the bigger events this term have seen the American drop four places to world no. 6, while Aryna Sabalenka continues showcasing why she is the tour’s in-form player across all surfaces, particularly hard courts.
Gauff’s former doubles partner and friend Jessica Pegula banished her Major quarterfinal hoodoo in reaching a maiden Grand Slam final this past month, while there are a flurry of burgeoning youngsters and rising stars keen to emulate Gauff’s teenage successes at a time where injury, volatile results and an overly packed schedule have combined to open up opportunities for more players.
Daly, 45, is a University of Notre Dame graduate (2001) having played the sport alongside his studies two decades ago. He coached 2021 Wimbledon semifinalist Denis Shapovalov on the ATP Tour last season and Gauff began her work with him a week before flying to Beijing for the upcoming China Open.
In a conversation with writer Courtney Nguyen, who goes by WTA Insider, the 20-year-old said: “I’m really excited, think this is probably what it will look like next year too. I’m super excited for a new change and hopefully to improve other parts of my game.
Working with Brad was really great, obviously we had a great partnership. I think it was just time to do a reset, refresh and add some things in my game I need to do to have a better season next year.”
As I’ve covered previously, the main concern surrounds a serve that can either hamstring her game or help it considerably. She recorded a grisly 19 double faults in a three-set defeat by Navarro as her title defence ended rather underwhelmingly.
Couple that with a backhand groundstroke that many rivals feel they can force errors from under duress, it’s understandable Gauff has been defensive about both when constantly quizzed about them in press.
“There are other parts I want to work on too, but the focus right now is the serve. When I serve well, I play pretty well – that’s the basis for my game. Already, the little bit we’ve done has made a drastic improvement to where I was three weeks ago,” she said in reference to subtle changes being made to her service motion on the practice courts.
The big question is whether she can replicate that in match situations, particularly in high-pressure moments. Top-ranked players won’t allow her the same luxuries she gets away with against lower opposition in the business end of major tournaments.
Picture source: Getty Images
Mo and Sports 